Historic Season Ends in Heartbreak.

Ira Bowman

Staff

Badgers game planning against CSI, Photo Courtesy of Kyle Perry Sideline Focus

Snow College men’s basketball was awarded the number one seed in the National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) championship tournament, but a 40ft bomb from Conners State ended the Badgers historic season 63-62.

Following the best season in program history, including a Scenic West Athletic Conference regular season title, Region 18 tournament title and a West District title, a first in school history. The Badgers entered the national tournament with a 32-1 record, the number one seed and they were set to play 17 seed Connors State College (CSC), Monday March 24.

That Badgers 25 game winning streak looked like it would continue after two quick buckets from freshman Center Sean Felts and a swished 3-pointer from sophomore guard Mark Brown Jr. gave the Badgers an early 7-0 lead. However a 20-6 run from Conners state over the last 10 minutes of the first half saw the badgers down at halftime for the first time since November 22nd 33-28.  

Under a minute to play in the second half saw CSC with possession and the game all tied up 60-60. CSC missed a jump shot and got the offensive rebound with 26 seconds on the clock. After another missed Jumper by CSC, Mark Brown Jr. was fouled on the rebounded and headed to the free-throw line with 5.4 seconds left and a chance to give Snow the lead. 

Mark Brown Jr cashes in both free throws and puts the Badgers up 62-60 with 5.4 seconds on the clock. Out of the CSC timeout DJ Dormu gets the inbounds pass and bolts just inside midcourt to out a 40-foot bomb that falls threw the net give CSC the first ever 17 seed over 1 seed upset in the NJCAA tournament. 

Freshman guards Chance Trujillo and McCaden Adams lead the Badgers in scoring with 15-points from Trujillo and 12-points from Adams. 

The low-scoring affair saw the Badgers score both the least amount of points scored in a half this season, with 28 points and the lowest total points scored in a game from the badgers with 62 points. The previous lows for the season were 36 points at halftime and 70 total points scored. Both previous lows took place in the Badgers lone regular season loss to Midland College.  

Taking a look into the future of the program, Coach May credits his current players and expresses excitement for the newcomers. “Our football program has historically been incredible and have continued to put players at super high levels (of D1) in football, but for us to do that in basketball, and for us to do it consistently now is something that will hopefully mean great stability for the future, but also continuing to be a national contender because of the players that we bring in.”

Despite this heartbreak to Coach May and the Badgers, this season was one of the best in program history, breaking multiple school records and winning the first West District championship in program history.